Power management of sensors within a mobile device

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device. A method may include receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor, determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration, controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor, determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor, and controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. An apparatus may include a processor, a power supply coupled to the processor, a sensor coupled to the power supply, and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to execute the aforementioned method.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:
 receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor; 
 determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration; 
 controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor; 
 determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and 
 controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and 
 updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 ascertaining that registration has been performed; 
 determining whether the sensor is powered off; and 
 determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 ascertaining that deregistration has been performed; 
 updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients; 
 updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients; 
 updating the sensor operating mode; and 
 turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on; 
 starting a sensor power off timer; 
 determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and 
 powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the sensor client provided a start data request; 
 determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off; 
 determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor; 
 updating a sensor operating mode; and 
 updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and 
 determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; 
 determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor; 
 updating a sensor operating module; 
 starting a sensor “power off” timer; and 
 turning the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for managing power consumption of at least one sensor within a mobile device, comprising:
 a processor; 
 a power supply coupled to the processor; 
 at least one sensor coupled to the power supply; and 
 a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions for causing the processor to
 receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor, 
 determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration, 
 control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor, 
 determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor, and 
 control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and 
 update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 ascertain that registration has been performed; 
 determine whether the sensor is powered off; and 
 determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 ascertain that deregistration has been performed; 
 update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients; 
 update the sensor parameters to support existing clients; 
 update the sensor operating mode; and 
 turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on; 
 start a sensor power off timer; 
 determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and 
 power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 determine that the sensor client provided a start data request; 
 determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off; 
 determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor; 
 update a sensor operating mode; and 
 update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and 
 determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions causing the processor to
 determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; 
 determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor; 
 update a sensor operating module; 
 start a sensor “power off” timer; and 
 turn the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to manage power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:
 instructions to receive a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor; 
 instructions to determine whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration; 
 instructions to control a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor; 
 instructions to determine whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and 
 instructions to control power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 instructions to determine that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and 
 instructions to update a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 instructions to ascertain that registration has been performed; 
 instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off; and 
 instructions to determine if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 instructions to ascertain that deregistration has been performed; 
 instructions to update the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients; 
 instructions to update the sensor parameters to support existing clients; 
 instructions to update the sensor operating mode; and 
 instructions to turn the sensor power off if the request is the last client request. 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 instructions to ascertain that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on; 
 instructions to start a sensor power off timer; 
 instructions to determine whether the sensor power off time has expired; and 
 instructions to power down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a start data request; 
 instructions to determine whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off; 
 instructions to determine that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor; 
 instructions to update a sensor operating mode; and 
 instructions to update a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients. 
 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and 
 instructions to determine that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and update the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients. 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 instructions to determine that the sensor client provided a stop data request; 
 instructions to determine that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor; 
 instructions to update a sensor operating module; 
 instructions to start a sensor “power off” timer; and 
 instructions to turn the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires. 
 
     
     
       25. An apparatus for managing power consumption of a plurality of sensors within a mobile device, comprising:
 means for receiving a request from a sensor client regarding a sensor; 
 means for determining whether the sensor client requested registration/deregistration; 
 means for controlling a power supply and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the registration/deregistration request, for reducing power consumption of the sensor; 
 means for determining whether the sensor client provided a start/stop request for data from the sensor; and 
 means for controlling power to the sensor, a device/driver configuration, and an operational mode of the sensor, based upon the start/stop request for data, for reducing the power consumption of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for determining that the request includes a registration or deregistration request; and 
 means for updating a client database and performing registration or deregistration of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 means for ascertaining that registration has been performed; 
 means for determining whether the sensor is powered off; and 
 means for determining if the sensor should be powered on, and if so, turning the sensor power on. 
 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 means for ascertaining that deregistration has been performed; 
 means for updating the sensor data sampling rate to a minimum capable of supporting existing clients; 
 means for updating the sensor parameters to support existing clients; 
 means for updating the sensor operating mode; and 
 means for turning the sensor power off if the request is the last client request. 
 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 ascertaining that the request is the last client request and the sensor is powered on; 
 starting a sensor power off timer; 
 determining whether the sensor power off time has expired; and 
 powering down the sensor upon expiration of the power off timer. 
 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for determining that the sensor client provided a start data request; 
 means for determining whether the sensor is powered off, and powering on the sensor if the sensor is powered off; 
 means for determining that the sensor client is a first sensor client for the sensor; 
 means for updating a sensor operating mode; and 
 means for updating a sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support existing clients. 
 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; and 
 means for determining that the sensor client is not the last client associated with the sensor, and updating the sensor sampling frequency to a minimum to support the existing clients. 
 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 means for determining that the sensor client provided a stop data request; 
 means for determining that the sensor client is the last client associated with the sensor; 
 means for updating a sensor operating module; 
 means for starting a sensor “power off” timer; and 
 means for turning the sensor power off when the sensor “power off” timer expires.